[.ca] Jeffrey Bilhuber's Design Basics: Expert Solutions for ... (ISBN 0847825647)

disappointing in every way:
Magazine images of Bilhuber's designs have always taken my breath away, so when I saw this book, I quickly jumped at the chance to buy it. What a mistake! Not only are the images fuzzy, the text is almost useless. Bilhuber never gives the reader any useful suggestions or tips as to why he picked any particular item for each room. He doesn't help the reader "see" the thinking beyond the room and there were no design principles or bits of advice I could come away with. I feel cheated because I wanted the book to do what it promised and offer "expert solutions for designing the house of your dreams." Extremely disappointing and a waste of money.

This book provides the essentials and then some....:
There are so few design books that really deliver. As an interior designer I am skeptical of those books that come from the "designer of the month". Jeffrey Bilhuber is not only delightful to speak with - I was lucky enough to meet him - he really lays out his book with his own flair, design ideas and interior design credos (i.e. design basics). He presents the information in such a way, with humor, that makes it approachable but not "dumbed down" so anyone, whether formally schooled in design or not, can take something away and apply it if they choose. Many designers have tried this before and never come close. This is no easy feat, quite remarkable really! Deborah in Bethesda

Solid Information on Design Techniques:
For those of you seeking pretty pictures and how to copy the rooms, look in a different book or a magazine. The pictures are only incidental to the information inside. Instead, you will find out how this designer thinks so you can begin to see solutions and develop your own ideas. This is not a "step 1, step 2, etc." book, you will have to think and apply principles yourself.

Doesn't have much to say:
I disagree with the reviewer who said that some people didn't like this book because those people are used to "pretty" decorating books that don't explain anything. Au contraire. I am used to gorgeous decorating books that also explain decorating principles. I have many on my bookshelf that do a far better job than Billhubber's (whoever he is) of presenting great rooms and explaining how and why they work. There are many better books on the market than this one.

A Big Disappointment:
It's amazing that Rizzoli did such a poor job on the production of this book. Some of the pages were out of sequence, others were missing, some of the printing was crooked, and most of the photographs were fuzzy. Bilhuber is not a good writer, but many of the writing problems could have been corrected with good editing. The guidelines or suggestions offered were good, but a more detailed explanation with more examples would have been useful in many cases. Even with these problems, the book would have been worthwhile if the pictures were clearer. Although he may not be a great writer, I think Jeffrey Bilhuber must be a wonderful decorator. He has a real talent for combining traditional and modern elements in an effortless way that makes them look wonderful together. He also shows us that common, inexpensive items, when combined correctly, can look elegant and luxurious. It's difficult to imagine children playing in his rooms, but we don't all have young children. His style is sophisticated and lush, and the rooms in this book draw the reader back repeatedly for another look.